


Breaking Free

by TurquoiseTerrier



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-11 08:58:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15969035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TurquoiseTerrier/pseuds/TurquoiseTerrier
Summary: What if Lachlan had taken Robert hostage, not Rebecca?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ScrapyardBoyfriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScrapyardBoyfriends/gifts).



> This is ENTIRELY Jenny's fault. ENTIRELY. All blame to be directed towards her.
> 
> On the other hand though it's shaken the plot bunnies up and got rid of my seemingly endless bout of writers block which bodes well for my WIPs so... silver lining? Maybe... we'll see.
> 
> Let me know what you think, comments feed the plot bunnies. :D

Robert opens one eye, quickly closing it again.

“I know you're awake,” the voice says, and Robert sighs in resignation, opening his eyes properly.

Lachlan kneels in front of him, grabbing roughly at Robert's face to pull the gag from his mouth. Robert flexes his jaw, dry tongue swiping at cracked lips. He tries to swallow, wincing. His throat feels like he's swallowed razors, it's so dry.

He eyes the bottle of water as Lachlan puts it on the table hopefully. He's so thirsty. If his hands weren't tied together he'd make a grab for it.

“So,” Lachlan says, turning to lean against the wall opposite. “How are we feeling today?” He asks brightly.

Like they're passing in the street. Like he hasn't been holding Robert prisoner for... however long it's been, he can't remember.

He doesn't bother answering the younger man, choses to stare him down instead. His whole body aches; sitting on the hard floorboards, back against the wall. He can't remember the last time he ate anything, the chains wrapped around his waist much looser than they had been when he first woke up here.

All he can remember is feeling unwell, dozing off on the sofa at Mill. Then it was darkness and chains and, as much as he might have once said Lachlan didn't scare him... fear.

Lachlan pulls a bright green apple from his jacket pocket and takes a bite. The crunch echoes in the small room. Juice runs down the younger man's chin.

Robert would kill for that apple.

If he had the strength, that is.

He knows Lachlan is just doing it to torment him; it's far from the first time the younger man had eaten in front of him and denied Robert even the smallest amount.

The doughnuts had been the worst.

All Robert can hope for today is that Lachlan will let him have a few mouthfuls of water. He knows that there's more chance of that if he behaves, keeps quiet, doesn't react but he can't help himself. It's hardwired into his brain to talk back, he can't help it.

“You can't keep me here forever,” he says, voice raspy with disuse.

Lachlan looks at him. “I don't plan to,” he replies, wiping the apple juice away with the back of his hand. “Just haven't decided what I'm going to do with you yet.”

Robert frowns. “What do you mean?”

Lachlan puts the apple down next to the water bottle, approaches to crouch down on the floor next to Robert. “Thing is, Robert,” he says. “I know I'm going to really enjoy killing you.” He says it so matter of factly Robert can't help but flinch. “Thing is... I can't decide how I want to do it.” He smiles. “So many options you see. I mean... I've caused a car crash, caused half a building to fall down, used a rock... I feel like trying something else.” He tilts his head, considering Robert. “Maybe something messier,” he says, looking at Robert like he's some sort of science experiment. “Bloodier. That might be the way forward... I'll have to think about it.”

“Or you... you could let me go.” Robert tries. His head is swimming, dehydration and lack of food taking it's toll.

“Can't do that,” Lachlan says, standing up. “Even if you weren't, well, you... you know too much.”

Robert closes his eyes. Lachlan isn't lying, he does know too much. Lawrence, Chrissie, fake Terry... poor poor Gerry. “People will be looking for me,” he tries. “Aaron won't give up on me,” he says, fingers rubbing over the ring on his left hand.

“Oh Robert, Robert, Robert,” Lachlan says, shaking his head at him. “I keep telling you, no-one's coming.” He shrugs. “It's been months. They've all forgotten about you.”

“It hasn't...” Robert frowns. He isn't sure. It doesn't feel like months... yet at the same time it does. He's so confused.

Lachlan nods. “They've all moved on,” he tells him.

“Aaron wouldn't,” Robert says firmly. “He wouldn't give up on me.”

Lachlan winces. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news then... but he has.”

“No... no...” Robert shakes his head.

Lachlan nods. “That tall guy, the doctor. Alex... wasn't it? Yeah, that's it. He's back on the scene.”

Robert freezes. “What?” He shakes his head. “No... no...” Aaron wouldn't... he wouldn't.

Lachlan nods again. “I was in the pub the other day, Dingle party, you know? Alex drank from the welly and everything. There was even talk of marriage.”

Tears fill Robert's eyes. “No... he wouldn't, he wouldn't. He wouldn't give up on me.”

“Sorry Robert, but he has. I texted him from your phone see, told him you'd had enough and weren't coming back. Guess he didn't love you as much as you thought, Alex was back in in... a week, I think it was? Maybe less.”

The tears start to fall. Robert doesn't try to stop them. He can't deal with this, not right now. Pushing it to the side, he tries a new tactic. “Seb!” He says. “He needs me.”

“Ah.” Lachlan says. “I didn't tell you that either, did I?” He winces. “Not a day for good news for you is it? Rebecca got back with Ross, they're making a go of it,” he tells him. “Heard Seb calling Ross 'daddy' the other day. Sorry mate, but you've been replaced.”

“You're lying,” Robert accuses, a sudden burst of energy giving him the strength to think, his mind clearing, seeing Lachlan for what he's doing. “Maybe not about Rebecca, or Seb but you are about Aaron.”

Lachlan tilts his head. “Why would I lie?” He asks.

“Because you want to hurt me,” Robert says. “But I know Aaron, and he wouldn't give up on me, not ever.”

Lachlan scowls. “Maybe, maybe not,” he says. “But one thing's for sure.” He grabs the water bottle, opens it. “You're never going to see him again to find out.” He drinks deeply from the bottle, draining it. “Whoops,” he says. “None left for you. Oh well, maybe next time.”

Robert watches as the empty bottle falls to the floor with a clatter. He's staring at it with a mixture of desperation and sadness when Lachlan approaches, pulling the gag back into place and pulling it ever tighter. The rough material cuts into the corners of Robert's mouth painfully.

“See you tomorrow,” Lachlan says as he leaves, flicking the light switch and plunging Robert back into darkness.

*

The door slams open, hitting the wall with a crash that jolts Robert out of his semi-dozing state. He jerks, chains clinking together. Lachlan bursts through the door, and Robert looks at him in wide-eyed panic.

Lachlan's jeans are covered in mud, his hoodie soaked in what looks like blood and he stinks. The smell is so bad if Robert had had anything in his stomach, it wouldn't have been there for long.

Robert reaches his bound hands up, pulling the gag from his mouth. He can this time; Lachlan had forgotten to leave his hands fastened to the chain at his waist when he'd visited last. “Lachlan?” He whispers quietly.

Lachlan looks at him, breathing hard. “We need to go,” he says, moving to where the chains are fastened to the wall.

The smell is worse the closer the other man is. “Lachlan what have you done?” Robert asks, horrified. “Is... is that blood?” He stares at the hoodie. “Whose blood is that?”

“It doesn't matter,” Lachlan says. “He got in the way, and I had to do it.”

“Who got in the way?” Robert asks, fearful of the answer. Not Aaron... please please please not Aaron.

Lachlan ignores him. “She's not even grateful!” He rants. “I did all of this for her, so I could be with her and as soon as she finds out? She tries to run. They always make me do stuff that I don't want to do, why can't they just do what I want?” He says, looking at Robert as if he's got all the answers.

Robert swallows, shrugs. “I... I don't know?” He tries, desperate not to anger Lachlan more. “Why don't you tell me what happened,” he says. “Maybe it's not as bad as you think?”

Lachlan pauses, the chains half untangled. “It's all Priya's fault,” he says after a few moments of silence. “If she had just left well enough alone but no, she's got to start digging hasn't she? Now they found the rock and the police are sniffing around so I had to move it, I didn't have a choice!”

“Move what?” Robert asks. He thinks he knows, but he also knows he needs to keep Lachlan talking.

“The body! Tozer's body!”

“Who?” Robert hasn't got a clue who that even is. Another victim?

“Gerry's fake uncle. That con-man. Him!” Lachlan shouts in his face.

“Oh. Him. Right...”

“So now they've got the police all over the glamping site. Luckily I put you at the opposite side of the estate but it's only a matter of time before they come over here so we're going.”

Robert breathes heavily. “Where are we going?” He asks.

“We?” Lachlan says. “There's no we. You, are going off the nearest cliff head-first, with Tozer's body. I, well you don't need to know that.” He finishes.

Robert knows that Lachlan doesn't have a clue where he's going, can tell by his face there's no plan other than run away. The mention of the police gives him a glimmer of hope.

He just needs to stall.

“So what did you do?” He asks. “Who got in the way, what did you do to Belle?”

“Sam,” Lachlan answers. “He saw me with the body, I had to!”

Robert closes his eyes tightly. Sam, poor, innocent Sam. He pushes it away, compartmentalises it, self-preservation starting to kick in. “And Belle?” He asks. “What happened, you said she... tried... to run?” He doesn't like the implications of that.

“She said she hated me. Then I got the gun and then she said she was pregnant but that was a lie too, she tricked me, tricked me so she could run away. She just wanted to get me on side so she could call Sam an ambulance but I saw through it. She's no different to the rest of them, I thought she was, I thought she loved me but it was all a lie. I did this, ALL OF THIS for her and that's the thanks I get? Told she hates me and trying to run? So I dealt with her too,” he finishes, a dark look in his eye.

“What did you do Lachlan?” Robert asks, scared of the answer.

“She was running down the road. I chased her in my car, ran her over.”

“Is... is she?”

Lachlan shrugged. “Lying in the road not moving last I saw. Serves her right.”

“She didn't deserve that Lachlan. You loved her, you love her and you did that?” Robert looks at him, sees the complete lack of emotion in the other man's eyes.

“She lied to me.”

Lachlan says it so bluntly, so matter of fact that it strikes fear into Robert's very being. He's not going to get out of this alive, he knows it. But he has to try.

“Just go Lachlan,” he tries. “Leave me here. If everyone knows then the sooner you get going the better, right? I'll only slow you down...”

Lachlan leans down. “Nice try,” he says. “I've been looking forward to killing you for a very long time, not going to give up that easily. We'll just have to be quick, that's all.” The chains clink, and suddenly Robert finds himself free. “Get up,” Lachlan barks at him.

He tries, but his legs have no strength. He's too weak, and ends up in a heap, legs folded up under him. Lachlan aims a swipe at his head, whacking him and he grunts in pain. “I can't,” he says. “I'm not strong enough.”

Lachlan yanks at the chain viciously, and Robert yelps as it digs into his stomach painfully. “Please Lachlan,” he begs. “I can't, I can't.”

Lachlan grabs his hair, starts to drag him to his feet and then-

Banging.

Shouting.

Yelling.

Lights.

All at once. It's too much, and as Lachlan lets go in the commotion, Robert falls back into a heap, curling in on himself as much as he can, arms around his head, fearful. Everything's too bright, his eyes aren't used to it, and too loud.

More commotion, heavy footsteps, Lachlan's presence disappears from his side and then he hears it.

The voice he'd know anywhere. Demanding, not taking no for an answer.

Then arms. Soft wool of a jumper brushing against him, fingers on his neck, his face, gently uncurling Robert from the ball he'd turned himself into.

Aaron pulls Robert against him, Robert's bound hands coming to rest against Aaron's chest.

Over the younger man's heart.

Tears of relief start to fall and Aaron shushes him gently, rocking him in the arms he's missed so much. “I've got you,” Aaron whispers into his filthy hair. “You're safe now, I've got you.”

“I thought you were never going to find me,” Robert says quietly.

Aaron pulls back, arranging Robert so they can look at each other's faces. “Of course I would Robert,” he says firmly. “I'd never give up on you.”

“But it's been months...”

Aaron frowns. “Is that what he told you?” He asks. “It's been nearly three weeks Robert, he lied to you.” He uses his thumb to brush away some of Robert's tears, ignoring the ones that are streaming down his own face. “But even if it had been, I would never have stopped looking for you. Never.”

Robert sniffs. “He... he told me you'd moved on,” he cries. “That you were back with Alex and Rebecca was with Ross and Seb was calling Ross daddy and that everyone had forgotten about me.”

“You didn't believe him, did you?” Aaron says, concern all over his face. “It's all lies Robert, all of it, I promise you.”

“I didn't want to... but I wasn't sure,” Robert admits. “Not about you, especially not about you but he said he'd texted from my phone and told you I wasn't coming back and everything was just a blur and I didn't know what to believe. I didn't want to think you'd given up on me but... why wouldn't you move on... I just didn't know.”

“Hey, hey,” Aaron says quietly. “We've been through this. I love you, I want you. Don't let anyone and I mean anyone let you doubt that. Ask anybody, I've been tearing the village apart looking for you and if I could get my hands on Lachlan right now...”

“You mean it?” Robert asks. He feels stupid, but at the same time needs the reassurance. “You didn't give up on me?”

“Never.” Aaron says firmly. “I never have, and I never will.” He looked into Robert's eyes. “Believe me?”

Robert nods. He wishes his head would clear. Everything seems slightly fuzzy, and he doesn't like it. “Love you,” he mumbles.

“Love you too,” Aaron replies, no hesitation. “Let's get you out of here, you need to see a doctor,” he says, looking Robert up and down.

Robert bites his lip. “You won't leave me?” He asks, childlike. “I don't want to be on my own.” He realises there's someone behind him and flinches, Aaron shushing him gently as the chains at his waist fall away. He turns his head, seeing fluorescent jackets milling around in the small room. He was so out of it he hadn't even noticed them until now. One police officer is brandishing bolt cutters, clearly the one who'd just freed him from his chains. He feels a tug on his wrists and looks down, seeing Aaron untying the rope, growling deep in his throat when he sees the deep wounds, rubbed raw by the rope.

“I'm going to stay with you the whole time, I promise,” Aaron replies, meeting Robert's gaze. “Not going anywhere.” He drops the rope to the floor. “Right, let's go.”

He stands, pulling Robert up with him but Robert's legs can't take the strain, he's too weak. He wobbles embarrassingly and ends up tipping into Aaron's chest, the younger man catching him on reflex. “Sorry,” he mumbles.

“You've got nothing to apologise for,” Aaron says into his hair. “I'm just glad you're okay,” he says. “Well, more or less anyway.”

Robert smiles at him. “Can't walk,” he admits. “He hasn't really been feeding me.”

“Yeah, I can tell,” Aaron says, eyeing Robert's waistline. “Right,” he says, taking charge. “Arm around my shoulders,” he says.

Robert complies. “Why?” He asks, curiously. Aaron doesn't reply, bending his knees instead and Robert realises what Aaron is going to do too late.

The younger man has one arm around his back and the other quickly ends up behind his knees. Robert finds himself swung up into the air, in his husband's strong arms.

Embarrassment aside, he's never felt safer, more loved or more protected than he does right now.

As Aaron carries him through the door into the sunlight, towards the ambulance that's waiting he comes to a realisation.

When he's settled in the ambulance, a paramedic checking his vitals on one side, Aaron a firm presence at his other, he speaks.

“I wanna marry you,” he blurts. “I want you to be my husband and I want to be yours, all yours and I don't want to wait,” he says. “I know we haven't really talked about it since we got back together but-”

Aaron places a finger to Robert's lips, shutting him up. “Of course I'll marry you you idiot,” he says. “As soon as we can, yeah? Get you better first, when we'll do it, yeah?” He looks around, then snorts.

Robert frowns. “What?”

Aaron shakes his head. “What is it with us and proposals and ambulances, eh?” He grins.

Robert looks around them, and starts to laugh. It catches in his dry throat and he ends up having more of a coughing fit, but he tries. Aaron pats his back, then pulls him into a kiss.

The paramedic smiles at them fondly, as the ambulance makes it's way towards the hospital.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and kudos! I had a few requests for more and inspiration struck, so here's part two. This is the last of it though.
> 
> Enjoy, and please let me know what you think! :D

He picks idly at the surgical tape holding the IV in place in the crook of his left arm. He's alone; Aaron hadn't wanted to leave him, but the nurses had made him while they helped Robert get cleaned up.

He'd tried to tell them that he'd much rather have Aaron help him in the shower than the large, rather hairy, male orderly but his protests had fallen on deaf ears.

He hadn't been able to argue with them when they'd told him that it would be much quicker with 'someone with practice'. It wasn't that Aaron hadn't had practice with Robert in the shower... just not the kind of practice they'd meant.

God, he's missed Aaron so much. Sitting in the dark cabin alone for so long, unable to move, unable to make a sound, it had given him time to think. Aaron, Seb, Liv... he'd been so desperate to see them again, determined to survive even knowing that Lachlan had lost it and his chances hadn't been great, to say the least.

Lachlan's lies, and he understands now that they were lies, had hit home. The thought Aaron had left him, fleeting as it was... the feeling was crushing. Even thinking about it now hurt so much. After all they'd been through, the thought that Aaron had moved on, had gone back to Alex had brought all those old feelings back, the jealousy, the sadness, all of it. As he thinks back on it now though, it only made him remember what Aaron had said to him, the night he'd dumped Alex, the night Aaron had stood in Vic's front garden and poured his heart out. 

He'd played the speech over in his head for days, weeks even, after that night. Every time he'd had a small wobble, the fear that Aaron would suddenly change his mind, that it was all a dream after all, he'd remembered what Aaron had told him. He knew that speech off by heart, and couldn't stop the smile spreading over his face as he thinks about it now. He is Aaron's disaster and he's proud to be that, and he loves him more than ever now, more than he's ever thought it was possible.

The door opens, jolting him from his thoughts and he looks up. Aaron, juggling a coffee cup in one hand and some weird looking drink in the other as he dodges the door, letting it close on it's own behind him. 

“What on earth is that?” Robert asks, eyeing the drink in Aaron's right hand.

“It's for you,” Aaron says brightly. Too brightly. “Nurses gave me it. You have to drink it, in small amounts over the next few hours.”

Robert looks at it. “It's green,” he says in disgust. “Actually, it's not green, it's a weird shade of greenish brown... Aaron it looks disgusting.”

“It's nutritional.” Aaron says firmly. “You've got to drink it.”

“I'm not drinking it,” Robert replies. He knows he sounds like a petulant child but he can't bring himself to care.

“You have to Robert,” Aaron says. “You're half starved, your stomach can't cope with anything else. You need to start off slowly, and you need nutrients and this is them.” He puts the drink down on the tray table in front of Robert.

“It's massive!” Robert says. Aaron rolls his eyes. “Do I have to?” He whines at him, hoping Aaron will take pity on his poor, recently kidnapped fiancé. Fiancé... yes that is a good word. He likes that word. Even though it's the second time in relation to Aaron and they're still technically husbands or partners or whatever they're calling themselves these days... they need to get married as soon as possible, save on the explanations. Husband is the best word. He wants to be able to call Aaron his husband, legally. He nods to himself before being rudely brought out of his daydream by a tap to the leg.

“Yes, you have to,” Aaron says to him, before pulling a piece of paper from his pocket. “You have to drink down to the first line now,” he says, pointing to the mark on the plastic container.

“You've written it all down?” Robert says, incredulously.

“Yep,” Aaron replies with a grin. “I have full instructions here on what you've got to do and when. Oh, and you need to drink more water,” he finishes, turning on his heel and appearing with a glass and the water jug, pouring him a glass and setting it next to the drink from hell. “Come on then, get it down you,” he says, perching on the edge of the mattress on the opposite side of the tray table. 

Robert decides a compromise may be possible. “I'll drink the water,” he says, “But I'm not drinking that concoction. Get me a burger and we'll call it quits?” He tries.

“Your stomach can't cope with a burger yet Robert,” Aaron sighs. “Drink that, you have to.”

“Don't have to do anything,” Robert says petulantly.

Aaron leans forward, a strange look on his face. “If you ever want to have sex again,” he says, and Robert knows it's no idle threat, “Then you will. Now do as you're told.”

Robert gulps, reaches for the drink. “Yes boss,” he says.

*

The drink hadn't tasted that bad, in the end. Not that he'd admit that to Aaron of course, though he thought that the younger man probably already knew. They'd sat in comfortable silence, enjoying merely being in each others presence after so long apart, only interrupted when the police came to get Robert's statement.

“What happened?” Robert asks. “With Lachlan I mean.”

Aaron pulls his bottom lip into his mouth. “How much do you want to know?” He says.

“All of it?”

Aaron sighs. “You... you disappeared. I'd come back from holiday, remember? I'd only been back since that morning and I had that work thing, the contact for the scrapyard you'd sorted out for me. I came back from that and you were just... gone. I knew you hadn't been feeling well, Liv said she'd gone to get you some painkillers in town and when she'd got back, not long before I did... you weren't there. Do you remember anything?” Aaron asks.

Robert shakes his head. “I remember feeling unwell, you thought I was just hungover... so did I even though I don't get like that but you know, always the first time... I went to sleep on the sofa, sleep it off and woke up in that cabin.”

“I never stopped looking for you, you know?” Aaron says. “The text, the one that came from your phone just made it all the more clear to me that something had happened. People tried to talk me out of it, saying you'd just left me but I wouldn't believe them. Liv and Mum were the only ones who never doubted you, not even for a second.”

“Diane, Vic?” Robert asks. “They thought I'd left you?”

“Not for long,” Aaron is quick to reassure him. “But they did... just for a minute. Vic didn't really want to believe it but like she said, that text was quite convincing. I don't blame her,” he says. “It was convincing to the police which made things all the harder.”

“What did it say?” Robert asks, curious now.

“At first?” Aaron shakes his head. “At first it was just saying you needed to get away for a few days, things were 'too much',” Aaron tells him, with air quotes. “I know you too well, didn't believe it at all. Then a few days later I got another text saying you weren't coming back, you were sorry but it wasn't working out.”

Robert scrunches his face up. “People actually believed that?” He asks incredulously. “People who have seen us together, who know us... actually thought that I'd leave you like that? At all?”

“I did tell them they were being prats but they all seemed to think I was off my rocker,” Aaron says. “Showed them all though,” he continues, “Finally got the police to look into your bank accounts and stuff, they realised you hadn't touched any of it and your phone hadn't been used and you'd left your car and like I'd been telling them, you hadn't taken any stuff either and they finally believed me.”

“I'm sorry,” Robert says.

“What are you apologising for?” Aaron replies. “You've got nothing to apologise for, it's not your fault. Bloody Lachlan, that's whose fault it is.” He sighs. “I was so scared,” he admits. “I didn't want to give up hope but I was starting to worry we'd never find you or... when we did...” he trails off.

“Hey, I'm here,” Robert says. “I'm alright, you found me.”

“I know,” Aaron has tears in his eyes. “It was so close though... too close.”

Robert shoves the tray table to the side, reaches and tugs Aaron towards him. The younger man folds into his arms and they hold each other, before Aaron pulls back. “Sorry,” Aaron says. “Too many things happening and... I'm sorry.”

“You don't need to be, it's understandable.”

“Had to get a new boiler put in too by the way,” Aaron blurts suddenly. “I realised the carbon monoxide detector wasn't working, the batteries were in the wrong way around. Fixed it and it went off, the flue was blocked. We all had a lucky escape there.”

Robert frowns, thoughts whirring in his head. “When was that?” He asks.

“Day you went missing?” Aaron replies. “Why?”

“Me... feeling unwell...” Robert mutters... “Liv said it too, she wasn't feeling right then... then she felt better after she'd been outside... that was why I wasn't feeling well Aaron, the boiler.”

“The engineer said he couldn't understand how it had done what it had, he'd never seen anything like it before...” Aaron trails off.

Robert looks at him. “You don't think...?”

Aaron sighs heavily. “I'll tell the police.” He leans forward, puts his head in his hands. 

Robert strokes his back. “I love you, you know.” he says. He needs to say it, needs Aaron to know. “So much.”

“Love you too,” Aaron replies, so easily these days. At one point Robert thought he'd never hear Aaron say those words again, now they roll off the younger man's tongue with ease, it's reassuring. “You scared me.” He admits. “Don't do that again.”

“I'll try not to,” Robert promises.

*

Liv is his first non-Aaron shaped visitor. Aaron himself is sitting on the side of the bed still, up next to Robert now, leaning against the older man's side, Robert's arm around his shoulders.

“Hey you,” Robert says as she sticks her head around the door. “You coming in?” He asks.

She nods. “Not just me though,” she says. Robert furrows his brows in question but he has the answer seconds later as Liv comes into the room properly, Seb in her arms.

“Hey cheeky,” Robert grins at the little boy, who spies Robert and extends his arms, waving them as Liv approaches the bed. “Come here,” he says, holding his free arm out. Liv deposits Seb carefully and goes to back away. “Oi, I meant both of you,” Robert deftly swaps Seb to his right side, tucked between him and Aaron. Aaron shuffles so he's supporting Seb and Robert tugs Liv towards him. “Give me a hug then,” he says to her and she smiles, slightly watery. She hugs him tightly, but cautiously. “'M not gonna break, you know,” he says into her shoulder and she takes the opportunity, gripping him tighter. 

“I'm glad you're alright,” she says, leaning back. “More or less, anyway,” she says. “Aaron was worried, can't have that,” she tries to save face. 

He indulges her. “No, can't have that can we?” He says.

“Nah. So, what's the damage?” She asks, sitting on the side of his bed, reaching out a hand to Seb who grabs her finger with a giggle. “Chas is on her way up,” she says to Aaron. “Having an argument with the parking meter last I saw. Didn't like the pound coins she was trying to put in it.”

Aaron pinches the bridge of his nose. “I should probably go and rescue her from it... or it from her,” he says. “I'll be as quick as I can,” he says, rearranging Seb so he's sitting in Robert's lap and moving to get off the bed. He doesn't make it to the door when the whirlwind that is Chas Dingle barrels through it.

“Bloody parking meters!” She rants. “I hate the flaming things, they either take my money and won't give me a ticket or they won't take my money at all, ridiculous. Would be alright if them not taking the money meant parking for free but no, you'll get a fine and clamped and god knows what else, oh- hiya love,” she says to Robert, changing track so fast he almost got whiplash. “You gave us a right scare!” She says, concern all over her face. “Diane and Vic are on their way, they got caught in traffic, Vic texted before.”

Robert nods. “Sorry for worrying you,” he says.

She pats his shoulder. “Not your fault love,” she smiles at him. “You're alright now,” she says. “That's the main thing. Belle and Sam are too, thank god for that.” She looks Robert up and down. “If I could get my hands on that monster I'd wring his neck for what he's put you through, pregnant or not,” she says. Robert knows she means it, and the feeling of knowing she'd come to his defence like that gives him a warm feeling inside.

In all the commotion Robert had almost forgotten. “What happened with Lachlan?” He asks. “He told me some stuff but...”

“He's been arrested,” Chas explains. Aaron is listening intently too, having been too caught up with Robert to know the full extent of what had happened. “Sam's got a concussion, they're keeping him in overnight and Belle's got some broken ribs, cuts and a lot of bruises from getting hit by his car but she'll be alright, they're keeping her in too. The whole family is down there, I'm sure they'll make their way up here at some point though so brace yourselves,” she jokes. 

“Do they know what he's done? He told me, about the crash, and everything...” Robert says, not sure how much they all know.

“We know about all of it,” Chas says. “Belle was conscious in the road, she managed to tell the police what Lachlan had told her and...” she pauses, “She managed to record his confession on her phone.”

“Smart,” Robert smiles. “So he's... he's gone then?” He asks, unable to hide the slight anxiety that creeps into his tone.

“He's gone love, don't worry about that,” Chas says. “Four murders, attempted murders of Belle and Sam, plus everything he did to you and whatever the police throw at him for running around with a shotgun... he's not going to get out anytime soon, if ever.”

Aaron squeezes his arm, and Robert turns to look at him. “You're safe,” Aaron says with a smile.

Robert closes his eyes. “Yeah, yeah I am,” he says, relieved.

*

Chas and Liv had gone to find the vending machines, leaving Robert alone with Aaron and Seb, who is happily snoozing against his dad's chest, Aaron smiling fondly at the two of them. “He's missed you,” Aaron says.

“I've missed him too,” Robert whispers, careful not to wake him. “All of you.” He looks from Aaron to Seb, then back again. “Who's been looking after him?” He asks.

“I have,” Aaron says. “Well, me and half the village,” he grins. “We've got a lot more babysitting options now, he's literally charmed everyone he meets,” he says, shaking his head. “Just like his dad.”

“Has Rebecca not been helping?” Robert asks. “I know she can't have him on her own but surely...?” Robert watches as Aaron's face changes, and he twists his lips. “What is it?” He asks.

Aaron sighs, clearly frustrated. “I'd been hoping to leave this for a bit,” he admits. “With everything else...”

“Leave what?” Robert is worried now.

“She's left,” Aaron says bluntly. “Swanned off to Ibiza to stay with mates, the day after you disappeared. Ross went after her but...”

“But what?”

“She says she's staying out there,” Aaron tells him. “Doesn't want to come back apparently, she's quite happy out there.”

“You what?” Robert exclaims. “But what about Seb?” Seb wakes up and starts to cry. “Dammit,” Robert swears. “Shhhhh Seb, calm down, daddy was just being silly.”

Aaron helps and they soon have Seb settled again, lying against Aaron this time. Aaron always has had the knack of getting Seb to calm and to sleep, ever since he first held him all those months ago. 

“She says Seb is better off without her,” Aaron whispers. “She's got it into her head that because she can't look after him on her own that she's useless. Apparently she's been thinking that for a while, keeps writing it down in that book of hers and well...”

“But that's not true, she can't look after him alone no but we were working around that!” Robert whisper shouts.

“I know, I know, believe me,” Aaron says. “Ross tried telling her, I've tried telling her when I spoke to her on the phone but I couldn't change her mind. According to Ross, now whenever he tries to ring her she answers and then hangs up straight away, doesn't want to talk to anyone apparently. Last thing she said to me was that you and me should keep him as ours, that I should adopt him and that was that.”

Robert thought for a minute. “Do you want to adopt him?” He asks, seriously.

Aaron looks at him. “I'd love to,” he admits. “I love him, and I would love to adopt him if that's an option but I feel like we should at least try and talk to Rebecca first,” he says. “I was too worried about you, I'll be honest, to really try with her. She might change her mind, but we won't know unless we talk to her properly.”

“And if she's adamant?” Robert asks.

“Then we'll look into it,” Aaron says, smiling down at the little boy asleep against him. 

*

They're finally alone, everyone having gone back home finally. Chas had taken both Seb and Liv back to the pub for the night . They're just waiting for Robert to be moved to a proper room for the night before the argument starts with the nurses over letting Aaron stay. Robert knows who will win that, and it won't be the nurses, that's for sure.

“Can't believe you proposed to me in the ambulance,” Aaron says suddenly, shaking his head with a fond smile.

“Why not?” Robert asks, frowning.

“You were dehydrated and half starved Robert,” Aaron replies, the fond smile fading, clearly remembering the worry he'd felt. “Not really the time for a marriage proposal, is it?”

Robert shrugs. “Yeah well, even dehydrated and half starved I knew what I wanted, and that's you.”

Aaron snorts. “Soft lad,” he says, shaking his head again and starting to laugh.

“You're worse anyway,” Robert counters. Aaron frowns at him, confused. “Kissing me? I hadn't brushed my teeth for weeks.”

Aaron shuffles awkwardly where he's sitting on the edge of the bed, mumbles something under his breath that Robert doesn't quite catch. “What was that?” Robert asks.

“Nothing,” Aaron says, looking everywhere but at Robert. The tips of his ears were going red with embarrassment though, and Robert started to grin.

“Tell me,” he presses. Aaron looks up at him, about to say no but Robert puts his best pitiful face on and Aaron shakes his head with a sigh of resignation.

“I said I missed you, so I didn't care,” Aaron mumbles again, slightly louder this time.

A massive grin spreads across Robert's face. “Now who's soft?” He teases. 

Aaron pulls a face at him. “Shut up,” he says, his entire face reddening now. 

Robert laughs. “You know,” he says, turning serious, “They let me brush my teeth earlier, when you were wrangling the family.”

“So?” Aaron says, trying and failing to look nonchalant as the blush fades. Robert knows him too well though.

“You could kiss me again...” Robert starts. “You know, if you want to...” he teases, puckering his lips. “Unless you'd rather not?” He finishes, knowing full well what's going to happen next.

Aaron swats his arm. “Stop it,” he says. “You know the answer to that.”

“Come on then,” Robert says, leaning forward. “Or am I too minty fresh for you?” He can't resist one last tease.

Aaron grabs the front of his hospital gown, pulls him closer. “Shut up and kiss me,” he whispers against Robert's lips as he presses their mouths together.

Robert is quite happy to oblige.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on tumblr! [TurquoiseTerrier](http://turquoiseterrier.tumblr.com) Come say hello! :)


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